About Salvatore Manzi: Salvatore Manzi is a facilitator with decades of experience designing and leading transformative conversations for teams, executives, and organizations. He specializes in guiding high-stakes meetings, leadership retreats, and strategic sessions that build inclusive, high-performing cultures. A lifelong public speaker with a background in communications and organizational behavior, he discovered his passion for facilitation after witnessing a master facilitator create space for true transformation. Applying his research in psychology and neuroscience, Salvatore developed communication and meeting facilitation training used by thousands of professionals. Focused on connection, engagement, and the creative power of group dynamics, he helps teams turn communication into collaboration. In this episode, Dean Newlund and Salvatore Manzi discuss: The lost art of human connection in the digital workplace Communication styles and technology’s impact on tone How to open meetings with a connection before content Leadership presence, facilitation skills, and emotional intelligence Designing physical and energetic spaces that shape collaboration Key Takeaways: Personalize every message — take a moment to acknowledge the other person’s context, tone, or effort before diving into your main point. Begin meetings with a quick ritual of connection, such as asking what’s working well or what someone’s celebrating, to ground energy and focus. Break the silence early in meetings by speaking up within the first few minutes to increase engagement and confidence. Shift attention from proving your worth to serving your audience by focusing on how your message helps them connect, decide, or act. "I need to create connections before I get into the content; otherwise, people don’t understand what’s going on in other people’s worlds.” — Salvatore Manzi Connect with Salvatore Manzi:  Website: https://www.salvatoremanzi.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/salvatorejmanzi/